Working Man's Porter is a worthy fall beer

Thursday

Aug 28, 2014 at 3:15 AM

BeerAdvocate.com gives it an 87 rating

Around this time of year, when the days get shorter and the nights cooler, I start looking forward to darker beers. There are several good choices within the fall category, including Long Trail Harvest, Geary's Autumn and Samuel Adams' Oktoberfest. Even so, these and other brown ales and fest lagers are often overshadowed by the ever-expanding number of pumpkin beers. For anyone not satisfied with the fall beers out there, consider the porter style as a worthy substitute. Porters tend to be dark, medium-bodied and robust. The name reportedly comes from the London-area laborers who consumed them centuries ago. Porters are great anytime, but especially during the cooler weather months. For those unfamiliar with the style, the Working Man's Porter by Henniker Brewing Co. is a good place to start. Henniker's porter is made with English malts and Brambling Cross hops from a recipe dating back to 1856 London, according to Henniker's marketing director Ryan Maiola.

We found Henniker's porter in a 22-ounce bottle at Smiley's Discount Beverage in Dover for about $7. The beer pours a deep brown color with medium carbonation. It's loaded with flavors of roasted coffee and chocolate and balanced with a subtle hoppiness. It's mildly carbonated and easy drinking for a darker brew. The alcohol content is 5.2 percent. The Working Man's Porter has an 87 rating on BeerAdvocate.com, where some commenters noted hints of black currant and herbs that linger on the palate."It's a traditional style but with a lighter body. That's one of the main drawbacks of a darker beer ... that it's too heavy," Maiola said in a recent phone interview, noting that the brewery aimed for a porter that didn't leave drinkers feeling full. Henniker Brewing opened in Henniker in 2013 with a 15-barrel (roughly 30 kegs per batch) brewing system. With many of the state's breweries clustered around the Seacoast, founder Dave Currier and eight initial investors realized there was opportunity and demand for a craft brewery in central New Hampshire, Maiola said.

Henniker now has four year-round beers, including the porter, and seasonals released in the spring, summer and winter. "They all have a little twist," Maiola said of the company's beers. "The Amber Apparition is hoppy for amber ale style, and with the DH IPA (double dry-hopped spring seasonal) we used a new hop variety. We'll be changing up the hop profile (each year) on the double to use new and experimental hops that are just coming out."Henniker's beers are available across much of New Hampshire, and as of this summer some parts of Massachusetts. ? ? ?Henniker Brewing is located at 129 Centervale Road in Henniker, off Route 202. The taproom is open 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and offers tours noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Details: www.hennikerbrewing.com

- Casey Conleycconley@fosters.com

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